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Outreach

Maker Faire

Maker Faire is the Greatest Show (and Tell) on Earth—a family-friendly showcase of invention, creativity and resourcefulness, and a celebration of the Maker Movement. It’s a place where people show what they are making, and share what they are learning. Makers range from tech enthusiasts to crafters to homesteaders to scientists to garage tinkerers. They are of all ages and backgrounds. The aim of Maker Faire is to entertain, inform, connect and grow this community.

The Intelligent Systems Club participates in Maker Faire Detroit in order to demonstrate the projects which the club has created and is in the process of creating. This year, the club held an autonomous snowplow demonstration at the faire using gravel instead of snow! The club also has a team which participates in the Power Wheels Racing competition which occurs each year at Maker Faire. This year was the first year in which the club participated in the competition and looks forward to competition in Power Wheels Racing Autonomous Competition!

Engineering Experience Day

Every June since 2005, the University of Michigan-Dearborn has hosted an event on campus called “Engineering and Computer Science Experience Day”. Junior and senior level high school students are invited to compete in one of four contests with a chance to win scholarships to the University: robotics, programming, game design or simulation.

The Intelligent Systems Club has been one of the main coordinating bodies of the robotics contest each year. The robotics competition is held in the Institute for Advanced Vehicle Systems, and challenges students to build a two wheeled robot from a limited amount of supplied to navigate a narrow and winding track. The students utilize motors, wires, a 9V battery, limit switches, and malleable plastics to make and edge avoiding robot and attempt to complete two separate courses, the basic and advanced.

The Intelligent Systems Club has been in charge of various aspects in the competition. The responsibilities of the Intelligent System Club at and before the event include